Abstract

Most contemporary theories of international cooperation treat states as unitary actors, thereby neglecting the influence of international negotiations and institutions on domestic politics. This essay offers a theory of how and when international cooperation redistributes domestic political influence of political leaders and societal groups. A principal-agent model of domestic politics suggests three propositions: (1) International cooperation influences domestic politics by redistributing four key domestic political resources - initiative, institutions, information and ideas. (2) This reallocation of domestic political resources generally favors those who participate directly in international negotiations and institutions. Most often, though not invariably, these are national executives, who "cut slack," that is, loosen constraints imposed by legislatures, interest groups, ministries and other domestic actors. (3) The resulting shift in the incentives facing political leaders feeds back into international bargaining, often altering the possibilities for international cooperation.